Topic 2 : Reading Aids (Skimming, Previewing and Scanning).

Skimming means to search quickly through the sentences to find facts and answers to questions you may have before you read them closely. Rapid reading for facts is in actual fact, skimming. When you skim a paragraph or a page, you are searching quickly among sentences for the answers to some questions you may have.

Make sure you know what information you are looking for. Move your eyes quickly from line to line and from sentence to sentence. When you think youve found what you are looking for, STOP. Read slowly the part of the line or sentence that tells you what you want to know. **Exercise page 1

Look at the title : title often suggest the topic or main idea. Look for subtitles : subtitles suggest the kind of materials you will find in a small portion of the reading. Look at pictures, charts, drawings. Illustrations often will give an idea of what the text will be dealing with. Look carefully at the first paragraph and absorb the information there. Look at the questions that come after the reading. Questions tell us what to expect from a passage. **Exercise page 2

Dont try to read every word. Let your eyes move quickly across the page. Use clues, such as headings and titles to help you. If you are reading for study, begin by thinking up or writing down some questions that you want to answer. Many texts use the A-Z order. Utilize this. It is found in phone books, catalogues etc. Practice scanning skills. Example, search for a plumber in the yellow page. *Exercise page 4-6

Paragraph::
1. A group of related sentences that discuss one main idea. 2. May be short/long, but long enough to develop the main idea clearly. 3. A paragraph is marked by indenting the first word (about half an inch) 4. A group of related sentences that discuss one main idea

Three Parts of a Paragraph. A Topic Sentence main idea of the

paragraph. sentence.

Supporting Sentences develops the topic

Concluding Sentence signals the end of the

paragraph.

Describe on a controlling idea. Explain the controlling idea. Give an example. Explain the example. Complete the paragraphs idea or transition. **Refer to page 8 for the example.

What is the topic of the paragraph? What 2 main points do the writer make about the topic? What examples do the writer use to support each point?

Reading strategies: Skimming : to search quickly through sentences to find facts and answers to questions Previewing : to get a general idea of what youre going to be reading before you actually begin. Scanning : to discover required information to complete a given task in

making a decision/choice.

Unity and coherence of ideas found in sentences is what constitutes a paragraph. Length and appearance do not determine whether a section in a paper is a paragraph. Ultimately, a paragraph is a sentence or group of sentences that support one main idea.

A well-organized paragraph supports or develops a single controlling idea, which is expressed in a sentence called the topic sentence.

They are called supporting because they support or explain the idea that has been expressed in the topic sentence.

It summarizes the information that has been presented. This is the concluding sentence.

** EXERCISES:: page 9-11